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Islands of the South Pacific

A Passage to the Solomons (Cairns to Honiara), 11 Nights

Overview

Itinerary

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This voyage uncovers the pristine wildlife, fascinating cultures, and remote coral atolls and beaches of the idyllic Melanesia region. The expedition will also commemorate the 75th Anniversary of WWII with time to explore the wrecks and remnants of the war in the Pacific theatre, and expert guides on hand to discuss the various battle sites, historical significance and strategies. Travelling aboard the Coral Discoverer, depart from Cairns, Australia and journey to key stops in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

This 11-night expedition from Cairns to Honiara can be combined with the adjoining 11-night Honiara to Port Vila voyage for a fully immersive 22 night trip.

Highlights of the expeditions include:
• Snorkel and dive over vivid coral gardens at Egum Atoll and Njari Reef
• See the rich tradition of canoe-building at Budibudi
• Explore the natural wonder of the Marovo Lagoon, and see the famous ebony carvings produced here
• Visit historic WW2 wrecks and significant battlefields
• Enjoy enriching cultural visits to remote island communities and learn about ‘kastom’ and the Kula Ring
• Spot and interact with wildlife, including Hawksbill turtles, pods of dolphins, hornbills and pygmy parrots at important conservation areas including Arnavon and Tetepare
• Get up close to an active volcano at Savo Island

Related Information

the itinerary

Embarkation: Board at Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal at 8:00am for 9:00am departure.Disembarkation: Arrive and disembark in Honiara at 08:00am.

Day 1: Cairns

Board the Coral Discoverer at 8am for a 9am departure.

Day 2: At Sea

Spend the day at leisure as we cross the Coral Sea, and join our Expedition Leader and Guest Lecturers in the lounge for presentations and briefings on Papua New Guinea ahead of our clearance at Alotau.

Day 3: Alotau

Alotau is the capital of the Milne Bay Province, and it is best known for the being the site of the Battle of Milne Bay, where Japanese forces suffered their first loss in WWII to Australian and American forces. Here were will explore the local villages and markets, and visit the Turnbull War Memorial Park.

Day 4: Egum Atoll

Prepare for an unforgettable experience as we discover remote Egum Atoll and enjoy your first opportunity for snorkelling, scuba diving and glass bottom boat tours over colourful reef systems. Visit a village on one of the atoll’s low islands, where the locals will share their creation legends, and stories of the Kula Ring trading, which creates lasting bonds between the clans throughout the islands.

Day 5: Laughlan (Budibudi) Islands - Bodaluna Island

Laughlan Islanders specialise in canoe building, and in this very remote corner of Papua New Guinea we find seagoing canoes under construction. The friendly villages of Bodaluna welcome us and share their way of life. We may have opportunities for swimming or snorkelling.

Day 6: Ghizo Island

This morning we enter the Solomon Islands at the town of Gizo. Wander through the open air markets which showcase a bounty of tropical fruits and fresh fish, as well as crafts by the legendary wood and stone carvers of the region.

You may choose to scuba dive over Japanese ship wrecks as an optional extra instead of exploring the town of Gizo.

In the afternoon, enjoy water activities at Njari Reef. Njari Reef is a merge point for oceanic currents and is said to have one of the highest fish counts in the world.

Day 7: Tetepare Island

Today we visit Tetepare Island. This rugged island is cloaked in rainforest and fringed with coral reefs. Surrounded by mystery, the island was abandoned 150 years ago, possibly due to fear of curses, head-hunting, or sickness. The unique conservation project undertaken by the Tetepare Descendant’s Association has rejected logging and is preserving this pristine wilderness for future generations. This community based conservation organisation also runs a Leatherback Turtle conservation program – the critically endangered Leatherback nests on the black sand beaches in this area.

We will learn about the conservation and archeological significance of the island. We may also be privileged to witness the huge variety of wildlife that make their home on the island – it supports nesting turtles, horn-bills, pygmy parrots, dugongs, and bottlenose and spinner dolphins.

This stop may alter due to local requirements.

Day 8: Arnavon Islands and Dart Sound

Visit the marine reserve of the Arnavon Islands, home to the largest rookery of endangered Hawksbill Turtles in the South Pacific. The Arnavon Community Marine Conservation Area, the first protected area within the Solomons, was established in 1995 and covers over 40,000 acres of land and sea. You may have the opportunity to see turtle hatchlings emerging from their nests at Kerehikapa Island. The coral reef of the Arnavon Islands are some of the healthiest and most diverse in the world.

Later we cruise up the picturesque Dart Sound to the remote village of Kia, where we are welcomed with traditional dance and singing.

Day 9: Marovo Lagoon

Marovo Lagoon is one of the wonders of nature. Enclosed by a double barrier reef and bound by the Vangunu and New Georgia Islands, the lagoon covers 700 square kilometres. It’s coral reef systems are world famous for exceptional diving and snorkelling sites. Some of the many islands in the lagoon are inhabited – the Marovo carvings of ebony inlaid with shell are exquisite. We may visit the villages here and snorkel and dive in the lagoon.

Day 10: Expedition Stop

Today, we have an expedition stop at an important location during the Pacific Campaign of WWI, the Russell Islands. These islands were occupied by the United States as they advanced to isolate the Japanese base at Rabaul. Pavuvu Island is now a spectacular diving destination, with a underwater dumping ground of ships and wrecked aircraft. The coral reefs are unforgettable, teeming with a variety of marine life. The clear water provides great visibility and there are many spectacular underwater caves and drop offs to explore.

This stop may alter due to local requirements.

Day 11: Mangalonga & Savo Island

This morning, we visit Mangalonga Island to snorkel and dive on the reef. Mangalonga Reef has amazing fish life and it is common to see feather stars and colourful anthias. We may also enjoy a birdwatching walk on the island – some of the often sighted birds include claret-breasted fruit doves.

This afternoon, explore Savo Island. This was an important location during WWII, and The Battle of Savo Island was the first of five large scale land and sea actions fought to support the ground battles on Guadalcanal.

Here we may visit an active volcano, ringed by hot springs, geysers and mudlakes. Enjoy a short walk through the volcanic area. There is also an extensive megapode field, where female birds incubate their eggs in the hot sand.

Day 12: Honiara

This morning we disembark in Honiara at 8:00am. As an optional extra, enjoy a tour of the key sites of the Guadalcanal campaign, including Edson’s Bloody Ridge, the US War memorial at Skyline Ridge, and the Japanese Peace Park Memorial at Mount Austin.

This itinerary is an indication of the destinations we visit and activities on offer. Throughout the expedition we may make changes to the itinerary as necessary to maximise your expeditionary experience. Allowances may be made for seasonal variations, weather, tidal conditions and any other event that may affect the operation of the vessel.

Accommodation in selected room grade for the number of nights as listed in each itinerary

All meals

House beer and wine during lunch and dinner service

24 hour tea and coffee

Captain’s welcome and farewell drinks

Access to islands, marine and national parks

Touring as described in each itinerary

Services of expedition staff and lecturers including briefings and knowledge-sharing sessions

Port taxes and government charges imposed by government authorities

Your cruise price does not include:

Pre and post flights, transfers and hotels

Entry visas/travel permits

Travel Insurance

Items of a personal nature including but not limited to phone and internet communications and bar charges (outside of the included drinks package as highlighted), laundry charges and souvenir purchases

Tipping not required:

Other cruise lines automatically add gratuities to your account and service charges to your bar invoices. On Coral Discoverer, our crew has no other agenda than your delight.

Now that you’ve chosen your cruise, our reservations specialists are on hand to assist with all of your booking arrangements to ensure your holiday runs as smoothly as possible.

To speak to our reservations specialists contact us during business hours on freecall 1800 079 545 (within Australia), or by email cruise@coralexpeditions.com.

Don’t forget, we strongly recommend the purchase of Travel Insurance with any cruise purchase. See below for further details.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

Comprehensive Travel Insurance is strongly recommended for all travellers as protection against any unforeseen events that may necessitate the cancellation or interruption of your holiday and should be purchased at the same time as you purchase your cruise. It should also include emergency evacuation and repatriation cover.

SureSave is an Australian company who specialise in travel insurance designed for travellers. SureSave provides world assistance through a customer support team, a claims team and an in-house 24/7 Emergency Assistance division. Underwritten by Lloyds of London, you get peace of mind knowing your security is guaranteed.

Please note: SureSave Travel Insurance policies may only be purchased by Australian residents. For international travellers, please discuss your policy requirements with your local insurance provider.